This invention relates to a game which incorporates an inclined ramp as part of a delivery system for a series of balls. Associated with the lower end of the inclined ramp is a propulsion mechanism which, if activated at the correct time, will strike a ball coming down the inclined ramp and propel the same toward the target. A counter mechanism is associated with the target to tell the player how many balls he has successfully deposited in the target.
Many games are known which use the principle of gravity to feed a ball from a launcher to a target. Games such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,615 utilize a large inclined ramp having a series of baffles thereon. A ball traverses these baffles and is deposited in a target area. The target is movable by the operator of the game.
Other patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,881 allow a ball to descend vertically over a series of platforms placed one under the other which are tiltable. As the ball is successfully transferred to lower and lower platforms means are provided to assign a score totally dependent on the number of platforms successfully traversed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,701 describes a toy basketball game which includes a counter mechanism associated with the basket which counts the number of times a ball is successfully passed through the basket.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,997 is directed to a toy baseball game which utilizes a pivotable inclined ramp as a launching means for launching a ball toward a movable bat. After coming down the inclined ramp the ball strikes a small abutment which causes it to lift up and fly through the batting area in a trajectory which places it within the pathway of the movable bat. if the bat successfully strikes the ball, attempts can be made to capture it with a series of upstanding projections which are movable in unison through an ark centered at approximately the pitcher mound area of the game.
All of the above described games contain one detail or another which gives them certain play value. There are, however, certain limitations found in each of these games which, if improved, would further improve the play value of the game.